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Council rejects restoring fire‑chief post to civil service after lengthy debate
Summary
A motion to return the fire chief position to civil service ahead of an anticipated vacancy failed after councilors debated fairness, timing and practical effects on the hiring timeline and civil service exam schedule. The vote was recorded by roll call and the motion did not pass.
The city council considered a motion to place the fire chief position back into civil service prior to a forecasted vacancy on June 30. Supporters argued civil service promotes fairness and curbs managerial whipsawing; opponents pointed to timing and the mechanics of civil service exams and cautioned that adding the position immediately could exclude qualified internal candidates who had not taken the recent exam.
Manager Golden and Solicitor Williams briefed the council on process and timing challenges. Manager Golden said the civil‑service fire‑chief exam had been held June 6 and suggested the timing might make an immediate change impractical for the current hiring window. Solicitor Williams explained that reversing the 2015 action that removed the position from civil service would require special legislation (a home‑rule petition) and involvement of the state civil‑service unit.
Councilors debated whether the council should act now or commission a fuller report. Some members proposed interim chief arrangements and staged policy changes; others said the motion as written risked excluding present firefighters who had not prepared for the exam. After extended discussion, the motion failed on a roll‑call vote (transcript shows the tally and individual votes).
